Noobie mistake costs me my job

The companies like to screw you over over little things.

What you have to watch out for are the crazy people. One driver I talked to was bragging about how he tipped his truck. He said... "At least I didn't roll it!" Well yeah... but still.

Hope you find something better soon!

 

These statements don't really add up.

You didn't do a good deed. You reported the incident, as you should have, and there were consequences as a result of your (self-proclaimed) laziness. That's life.

Safety is more than keeping it between the ditches and not running over anybody. If you're lazy on your first load, what will you be like on your 1,000th?

Good luck on your job search, and I hope you gained some value from your experience.

 

I was told when I started driving that within 6 mos of getting a CDL, 60% of the drivers are out of the transportation industry!! Reasons like yours and the harsh life OTR away from family/friends (and 'a life!') are typical.

My trainer of 34 yrs experience (I learned more by watching him & 'picking his brain,' than just driving!) told me: "ALL drivers make mistakes..the best you can hope for is to minimize them by having good driving habits...and hope you dont get caught on the little ones!! HIS words--not mine! ha ha

A newbie has to develop the SAME discipline when hooking/unhooking, in the same order, so as not to make a mistake!! The one time I did the 'air line stretch,' I was interrupted by a driver with a question---threw me out of my sequence. So learned from that, that I start the sequence back over again if an interruption occurs!! Also, if you dont feel a definite contact of 5th wheel with trlr, GOAL it!! A little laziness is never worth a high hook! Also, just takes one drop of trlr onto drives to make you check the kingpin lock.. Once met a driver, now working in a warehouse, who was disabled by a rookie that dropped a trlr while going down the road into his rig!

 

alot of companies that take new drivers or any driver will put you on a probation period if you do something wrong then you are gone.

 

I'm still one of the safer drivers out there.

Um, ....no.
Regardless if you are bobtailing, hook'n up, doing 65 down I70, backing up, or parked at a truckstop; there is no room for laziness. ALWAYS second guess!

I saw a truck in Tennessee last year that was parked at a rest area. All he forgot to do was set his brakes. The rest area was on a hill. The truck rolled over the hill and came to rest at the ditch close to the road.

He was lucky as the truck had potential to flip and crash on the interstate.

When I was in training I was told... "This is a 80,000 pound piece of heavy equipment". And it is. It's like a front end loader, earth mover, or other big machine. We are just heavy equipment operators. It just so happens that the equipment we operate travels on the road with other vehicles.

(That being said, I wonder why my trainer wanted 8 or more hours of nonstop driving from me before I could take a break. I mean HEAVY EQUIPMENT operators get breaks, right?)

 

Ok..so I drove a small truck for Schwan's once and had a small incident where I ran into a post and dented my running board. The company didn't act like it was a big deal. That was now 2 and a half years ago. If I apply to a trucking school and to a company to work, do I have to report it? Will it be in documentation someplace? Also, I live in Missouri and used to live in California. That incident was not part of my regular driving record at any time and never increased my insurance rates. So is it something I must report on a job application?

Is there one central place where these incidents are kept for the whole country?

Suzi

 

depends on if the requirements of the company and if schwans uses DAC and if you plan on listing schwans on your application.

Most companies as long as it has been over 1 year will not complain too much but yes you will probaly have to list it on the application most comapnies ask for the last 3-5 years of accidents or tickets weather or not they were reported on your mvr.

 

I'm glad I read this then. I didn't even think about that. I've been thinking I have a perfectly clean driving record.

Suzi

 

Here's my advice. It is good to have a DMV report in hand. Some companies will get one for themselves and others will want you to have one to fax or submit to them. I would say get a 5 year report, and look at it. This is what they are going by. I would also contact Schwans' and ask them about the incident and find out what was reported or if they use DAC reporting.

If the incident never went on record than I don't see the point of putting it on the application. On the flip side if you do put it down then you are sure to be covered. If you do everything else first to see if it will show up then you should be pretty safe as well.